FAQs: Cremation

1. What is involved in cremation?
 
2. Do I need a casket if I choose cremation?
 
3. Can I have a visitation period and a funeral service if cremation is chosen?
 
4. What can be done with the cremated remains?
 

Question #1What is involved in cremation?
Answer:The casket or container is placed in the cremation chamber where the temperature reaches 1,400-1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. After approximately 2.5 hours, all organic material is consumed by heat and evaporation, and the bone fragments are left behind. These are known as the cremated remains, which are then carefully removed from the chamber and processed into fine particles to be placed in a container or urn for the family.

Question #2Do I need a casket if I choose cremation?
Answer:No. However for sanitary reasons, many crematories require a combustible, leak-proof, covered container.

Question #3Can I have a visitation period and a funeral service if cremation is chosen?
Answer:Absolutely. Many families choose a traditional service before a cremation.

Question #4What can be done with the cremated remains?
Answer:With cremation you have a number of options. The cremated remains can be interred in a cemetery plot or retained by a family member -- usually in an urn, scattered on private property or at a place that was important to the deceased.